So a while ago, I'd posted on the 'Europe' sub-forum here on Horizons Unlimited to gather others' opinions on whether someone with only a year's experience riding would be ready for a 'big' trip from Paris to Milan (about 1600km in all). The responses were all wonderful and encouraging, so I thought I'd go for it (thanks everyone!). Well, it turned out that my 5 day weekend could be extended to a full 9 days (two weekends and a work week). So, I decided to change plans slightly. The idea was still to go to Milan, but take the long way around and explore some other parts of France.

I started reading around for places worth passing through on the way, and my first lead was the Gorges du Tarn (thanks to Magnon and Caminando on the forum for the tip!), and from there, the Gorges du Verdon, then the Côte d'Azur and finally Milan before heading back. Here's a map of the whole trip to give you and idea (pins represent sleep overs, coloured dots represent main stop-overs to visit).



So, now the trip is over and it's been a week since I've been back to Paris and it's about time I share my experiences. In all, my original 1600km trip turned out to be twice as long, but it was an AMAZING trip. I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to go for it, and, as it turns out, very lucky with the weather. Before I get on with the full report, here's a list of things I learned along the way:

1) I love mountains. It seems funny to see it in writing, but I never experienced high ground like this before. Whereas the sea always held a special place in my heart, it’ll have to make room for mountains.

2) Always be prepared, but don’t over-prepare. Whatever happens, it can be handled, it’s not worth it to worry about every tiny detail.

3) “Everything is biographical, Lucian Freud says. What we make, why it is made, how we draw a dog, who it is we are drawn to, why we cannot forget. Everything is collage, even genetics. There is the hidden presence of others in us, even those we have known briefly. We contain them for the rest of our lives, at every border we cross.” — Michael Ondaatje

Yes, I can stand on my own two feet, but I will never forget the people I met and everyone who supported me along the way.

4) Never judge a book by its cover, nor a bike by its size. I didn’t think I’d go far comfortably with the 250, and people thought I was crazy for trying. But others have circled the world on smaller bikes than mine so I was silly to think it couldn't be done. It’s not about the size of the dog in the fight!

5) One thought I had several times throughout this trip it was this:

“What if this is the last beautiful thing I will ever experience?”

As you can tell, that statement is bitter sweet. However, the Earth is huge, beautiful and inspiring. I have to remind myself that I only saw a fraction of what it has to offer. There’s a well in that desert, and I’m going to find it.

So, for the next week or so, I'll be writing up about my trip and sharing videos, road maps and photos I managed to take along the way. Hope you enjoy it!